The Dumbing Down Of Love
by A Taste for Tragedy
Summary: It's been a year after Mithos' death, and Sheena now has an arranged marriage. One day her friends and old love show up to help out with the wedding. Will Sheena follow her heart, or will she choose the path her village has paved for her? Sheeloyd
1. Numb

**Disclaimer: I do not own ToS. **

**In other news, my story titled Crack the Sky has been halted-- I've been writing it all down on notebook paper and just lost interest. Hopefully I'll pick it up again one day. **

**I also started a new rp site-- it's my homepage! Check it out if you're into high school rps. **

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_'The future has a way of arriving unannounced.' --George Will_

**TO **be chief of a town like that of Mizuho, one must have a marriage controlled by the town elders. To have an arranged marriage, one's heart must be purely devoted to nobody other than your chosen spouse. You must think of your village and its people, rather than your own personal happiness.

And because of those things, I lied. I lied so much that I became the exact thing I did not want to become: a heartless soul. My heart no longer existed, I had no more reactions to even the most unpleasant of surprises, nor did I feel any joy at the prospect of my future with a good-looking husband. I did not gasp (unlike the ladies around me) when my fiancée was introduced to me-- according to many, his face and body seemed to have been carved by a sculptor with the talent of a god. I did not lose myself in memories of the happiest time of my life, which was a year ago when I traveled around the worlds with my friends. I did not recall Corinne's deep desire for me to be happy. I did not bother to remember how strong my feelings were for... for...

As I said before, I was heartless and emotionless. I have never been good at confessing the pains my heart felt, and after all the terrible things I have done, I did not want my grandfather to worry about me any longer. So when my friends-- my true friends, the ones who I thought I would never see again-- arrived that beautiful spring morning, I broke down. The great wall inside of me cracked and was breached by a flood of emotions. I was open and honest like I'd been on the journey to save the world; I was an open book, ready for him to read me at first glance.

* * *

"Shee- I mean, oh crap, what's your official title again? Wake up! Wake up!" A high pitched voice startled Sheena out of her sleep; a few moments later there was the sound of yanking cloth, and light flooded into Sheena's bedroom. 

"Oh, Riley, can't you just call me by my first name like you always have? And how did you get into my house?" Sheena mumbled, shoving her face into her pillow. Sheena adored the fifteen-year old Riley, who was practically a younger sister to her, but she was not a morning person at all.

"The Chief gave me a spare key. This place is so messy for an eight-month old home!" Shortly after Sheena's return from her journey to stop Mithos, a small home had been constructed in Mizuho. It was located on the farthest end of town from her grandfather's home. Igaguri had built it as a gift to prove that he was proud of his granddaughter, even if she biologically wasn't related to him. Sheena was Igaguri's only granddaughter and living family member, and he would do anything to make her smile. Sheena had become attached to the place, because it was absolutely perfect.

"So why did you have to wake me up at..." Sheena pulled her face up very slowly so she could peer at the clock that hung on the wall in front of her "... eight in the morning?"

"You have guests!" Riley chirped.

No emotion wavered on Sheena's face. "Is it Derek again? My fiancée always--"

"No, it's your friends--" Before Riley could finish what she was saying, the bedroom door banged open and seven amazing people flooded into the large room. Something within Sheena seemed to break as she stared at those eager faces before her, and she slowly brought her hand to cover her mouth. The broken pieces within her seemed to glue themselves together messily, a bunch of emotions that had been bottled up inside for so long released themselves, and then he spoke-- he always dared to do what others didn't have the courage to do.

"Sheena, why didn't you tell us that the wedding was in a month?" he asked softly, not in a disappointed way. Rather, his face seemed to say that he was extremely concerned, maybe even a bit protective of her.

Colette walked over and sat on the edge of Sheena's bed. She reached over and gently touched Sheena's wrist, as if that would give her strength. "I've been worrying since I got your last letter two months ago. You didn't sound the same. In that letter you confessed that you had been engaged for a while. I wrote back immediately, but got no answer back, so I asked the others and ended up telling them... I'm sorry if you wanted to keep it a secret or something..."

"Anyway, we all grouped up and decided to come and celebrate your marriage!" Zelos continued on cheerfully, striding over and placing his arm around Sheena's shoulder. "Raine and Regal figured it would be best if we asked your grandpa about a few things before visiting you. We had a feeling we'd get more information from him than from you."

"I'm sorry." Sheena managed to say, looking at each and every face. All of them were there: Genis, Lloyd, Raine, Presea, Regal, Colette and Zelos. She felt safe again. "I just... I don't know. Derek and I are still getting to know each other; I thought you all would be too busy..."

"We'd never be too busy for such an important event, Sheena!" Genis exclaimed. His exclamation set off a round of similar denials as well, which in turn brought forth much chatter. A half hour seemed to fly right by as the various men and women talked to each other. Then one by one, her friends trickled away. Soon it was just Sheena and _him_-- Lloyd-- alone.

Lloyd picked up a picture that stood on one of Sheena's two nightstands. He studied the man in the picture, the man whose arm was settled loosely around Sheena's shoulders. Lloyd smiled faintly, and then looked over at Sheena. "Is this him?"

"Yep, that's my fiancée. Derek." Sheena's heart skipped a beat or two as she waited for Lloyd's reaction. None. Lloyd set down the picture frame and sat next to Sheena on the bed. His feet were planted surely on the ground, but he looked at her with an uncertain gaze. They talked as if nothing was wrong and as is Sheena had never had more-than-friendly feelings towards Lloyd; but then again, Lloyd had never been informed of these feelings. They chatted like they had the day before the fight Sheena had with Kuchinawa; they spoke like they were best friends. It was after that fight when Sheena first realized she loved Lloyd.

Maybe Sheena was the only one with romantic interest; maybe he was oblivious and thought of her as just a friend. But he spoke of his and Genis' journey to destroy all Exspheres, he listened intently to Sheena's thoughts on her upcoming marriage, and he hugged her when she told him of how numb she had felt for the past few months, although she refused to tell him the cause. All too soon, there was a knock on the door.

"Sheena, I've just received news that Derek will be here in an hour. He requests to walk around the Ozette Lake with you and the Chief." Riley's high pitched tones flooded into the room, replacing the comfort of Lloyd's deep voice. "Do you want me to assist you in getting ready?"

"No, no, I can do it myself." Sheena replied, hurriedly getting to her feet. She walked to the wooden vanity table nearby and grabbed a brush, then ran it through her hair several times. Lloyd had seen Sheena in her bathing suit before, which practically had the same style as her underwear, so for Sheena, it wasn't all that awkward to pull off her nightgown in front of him. She quickly pulled on a silky, lavender, knee-length dress with thick straps and delicate white slippers. It was springtime, so Sheena's normal purple and black attire was discarded for the colder months of the year. As Sheena began to put her hair up, she started to tell Lloyd about her first kiss with Derek.

"--so we were just standing outside Grandpa's door, waiting for him to come out, and Derek was really uptight. I told him I was cold," In the mirror Sheena saw Lloyd get to his feet, then walk up behind her. Sheena jumped a little when she felt his hands on her back-- he was buttoning up the back of her dress.

"Does Derek like the color lavender?" Lloyd asked after a moment of silence. Sheena had forgotten all about her story. Was Lloyd jealous of Derek?

Sheena looked down at her hands. Of their own accord they'd grabbed the vanity's edge, as if that would give her the resolve not to melt in his arms. "No, he doesn't. He thinks it isn't a good color, I guess it's too feminine or something. His favorite color is navy." She felt no need to remind Lloyd that lavender was her favorite color. He met her eyes in the mirror and smiled gently. His fingers brushed Sheena's skin with every button that he did, and she felt her skin tingle.

"I think you make lavender look lovely, Sheena." Sheena blushed as he said this, and looked down at her curvaceous chest. It was covered. No cleavage showed to tempt him-- he was just being sweet.

* * *

The next two weeks passed in a state of both bliss and stress for Sheena. Wedding plans consumed and suffocated her constantly, but she had her friends in town, which relaxed her. They all had their own quirks that brightened Sheena's day; however, Lloyd was uncharacteristically quiet and avoidant. He had been very distant, ever since that first day; to be exact; he'd been this way ever since he had met Sheena's golden fiancée. Not much had occurred, to be honest. They greeted each other, Lloyd gave Derek a dry 'Congratulations on winning such a perfect bride', and Derek had replied with a courteous 'thank you'. 

Derek was, in one word, perfection. He resembled a golden statue, for he was tall and even his skin was a golden tan. He was blonde and muscular in all the right places; his hair was short, his curls close to his skin, and his eyes were a unique honey color. Raised as a courtier in King Tethe'alla's court, Derek was instructed to be charming and polite even from a young age. He was twenty-six years old, meaning that Sheena was six years younger than him. Lloyd was nineteen, and Sheena's birthday would be in two months; she would turn twenty-one. Truthfully, Sheena felt as if she connected more with Lloyd, since they both were on the same maturity level. Derek was far too serious, and normally it was Lloyd who made Sheena giggle. When Sheena stood by Derek's side, she was reminded of her duty as the next ruler of Mizuho. Derek was not a bad man at all, just the complete opposite of Sheena. He kissed her in the most amazing way, and often asked her if he could do anything to make her smile. They _were_ friends, but Sheena's connection to him just wasn't as deep as the one she had with Lloyd. Derek's quiet, businesslike exterior had been tough to breach, but Sheena had done it.

"This is great, Sheena," Derek complimented one night. Derek had stayed for dinner, so Regal and Sheena created a complex meal while the others entertained him. Everyone-- Sheena's friends, Riley, Grandpa and Derek-- had been seated at the dinner table and were now devouring their meals.

"Regal did most of the work. He's a great tutor." Sheena replied modestly. Derek put his hand on her knee, giving her a comforting squeeze, so she grabbed his hand and held it gently. They exchanged a smile, and it was obvious that Sheena really appreciated the compliment. There was a silence at the table, filled by the sounds of clinking silverware.

"So, Derek," Zelos began cheerfully, "Have you had a bachelor party yet?" When Derek looked confused and even a bit awkward, Zelos continued to speak. "You know, a party for you and your friends before you get married. To celebrate your remaining days as a free man."

"It's not as if I'm being sold into slavery, Zelos." Derek smiled a cute crooked smile. "I've never really been a party person anyways. Which is a bit weird since I've always living in a King's court, I know. Where would the party take place anyways?"

"Usually they take place at a strip or dance club." Zelos smiled mischievously. "Speaking of parties, guess whose birthday is coming up, everyone? Two days until..." he looked around the table eagerly. Sheena searched her memory and drew a blank.

"Yours? I'm surprised you didn't brag to us about it." Genis looked surprised even as he spoke.

"I scheduled it weeks ago; I just forgot to mention it. Anyways, it's at a club in Altamira-- which means you underage losers can't come," Zelos taunted good-naturedly. "Everyone has to look really sexy, so Raine and Sheena, you two should go shopping for _slightly_ fancy clothing tomorrow. Lloyd, Derek, and Regal--"

"I'd rather stay here in Mizuho, if you don't mind." Regal interrupted. "I lost my taste for those kinds of parties long ago." All eyes turned to Derek after that statement. He shifted uncomfortably and stared into his soup-- it was obvious that he didn't want to go either.

Finally Sheena saved him by saying, "Don't you have a thing with the King that night?"

"I believe I do..." Derek smiled shyly, and kissed her right there in front of everyone. It was on the cheek, so it wasn't a big deal. Sheena didn't like public displays of affection very much, and neither did Derek, so this public kiss was quite rare.

"Now, Sheenster baby," Zelos was grinning now. "I want you to act alive for this party. No hiding in the corner, capeesh? And no wearing black or purple either. I'm gonna make you shine, baby!"

After that everyone seemed to engage in conversation with the person sitting next to him. Sheena just concentrated on her soup, but wait-- Lloyd was over there, across the table. He looked up at the same time she did and smiled, very slightly. Sheena smiled back at him, a sad sort of smile. She mouthed, "_Why are you so quiet lately?"_

Lloyd looked back down at his soup. That awkward silence resumed once more, and Sheena felt a gap grow between them, a gap that felt impossible to fix.

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**AN: Chapter two coming up! This will be 2-3 chapters long. Reviews are great; Join my RP site! It's my homepage on my profile. **


	2. Only Got One

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time! It means a lot to me. I'm really proud of how far I've come with writing...**

**ON WITH THE STORY! **

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_"Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle"--Soren Kierkegaard_

Sheena couldn't help but feel as if Zelos had a hidden motive -- why else would he care about what she wore?-- and decided to confront him about it that night after dinner. Sheena remained after dinner for a good while talking to Derek, and wasn't able to get away until the moon was already high in the sky. When she actually left for Kuchinawa's house, which Lloyd, Zelos, Regal, and Genis temporarily made their home, it was two hours until midnight. The first thing she noticed when arriving at the home was that all the lights in the house were off-- except for the farthest open window on the second floor of the house. She could faintly hear two voices coming from the window, and immediately recongized both of them. The fluid, arrogant tone of the red haired Zelos...and the confident, steady voice she had grown so attached to: Lloyd's voice. She glanced at the front door for a moment, and decided instead to creep over to a spot under the window, pressing herself into the shadows so she wouldn't be seen from overhead. Lloyd's voice was the one that reached her ears first.

"...Colette knows I love her, Zelos. But she's in a relationship and I'm not going to break them up! Even if it kills me... she doesn't love me, anyways." Sheena's dark eyes widened as she heard Lloyd speak. Lloyd loved Colette? Well, it made sense...

"Well, my birthday party is coming up soon. Maybe you'll meet another amazing girl there, huh?" Zelos spoke optimistically. It was obvious that he was trying to cheer Lloyd up. But... hold on now... who was Colette with? Was Colette hiding something from Sheena, too?

"There's no other girl in the world that can make me feel the way she does, Zelos." Lloyd sighed, and silence filled the room. His voice sounded tired and defeated, as if he had been fighting a war he knew we would never win. But he wouldn't give in. He'd never give in. What made Lloyd so strong? What made his heart so strong that he could stand so bravely against anything and everything? His quiet tone broke the silence, and in turn, her thoughts."Can we just talk about something else?"

"All right then... have you noticed how Sheena has been acting lately? She's been so sad. So drab."

"Of course I noticed." Sheena heard one of the two young men shift on a creaky bed. "She's just not Sheena anymore. I wonder why--"

"She's probably just stressed," Zelos interrupted. One of them made a sarcastic noise as Zelos continued on to say, "After all, she loves Derek. My only birthday wish is to see her be joyful again. See her wear bright colors and laugh..."

"I just want her to be happy, truly happy." After this statement, there was a thoughtful silence. Sheena began to retreat from the door, but wait! Someone was speaking again...

"So, about your love for--" Zelos began to talk, but just then, Genis appeared and his eyes immediately connected with Sheena's; obviously he had just returned from the dinner as well. Sheena jumped, for she had let go of her ninja senses, and therefore was caught by surprise. She made a shushing motion with her fingers, and Genis fought back a chuckle.

"What about it?" Lloyd asked, followed by a tired yawn.

"Are you ever going to tell Sheena?"

"Of course not!" Lloyd sounded surprised that Zelos could be so clueless about such a thing.

"I'm sure she'd like to know."

"There's no use in telling her, Zelos," Lloyd countered, getting defensive. "It would break her heart. I already feel pity for the woman."

"Everyone knows, Lloyd, except for her! Just tell her; put her out of her misery--" _Oh! _They knew that she loved him! Sheena's face began to blush, turning a cranberry color, and her eyes filled with salty, stinging tears. She felt so humiliated and ashamed! Lloyd pitied her for being such an idiot and loving him. He pitied her for loving the wrong person.

"She's miserable already, Zelos. If I told her, we'd either stop being friends or she'd jump off a bridge..." Now Lloyd sounded disgusted. Sheena bit her lip and wiped her eyes with frustration, not daring to look at Genis' face. She couldn't take this anymore! She didn't want Lloyd's pity! All the heartbreak she had felt over the past few months flooded back into her body. Sheena looked like she was about to run away, but just then Genis stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her-- the sweet child wanted to comfort her.

"Don't cry, Sheena, don't." Genis sounded both calm and angry. He patted the woman's back comfortingly as Sheena struggled to hold her tears inside.

"I can't b-believe him! I... that's not like Lloyd!" Sheena exclaimed when she'd found her voice. She sniffled, suddenly ashamed for showing such emotion and actually crying in front of Genis. "I can't face him ever again... Genis, what am I going to do?"

"You'll actually have to face him very soon, because Zelos' birthday party is coming up. Avoid Lloyd until then, and when you do see him, look cheerful and even irresistible. You've got to get revenge or something, Sheena. Unless you want me to beat him up for you?" Genis looked as if he really would hurt Lloyd, so Sheena just shook her head as she thought it over. Revenge was immature, _but_... when used correctly... it certainly would be acceptable in this situation, wouldn't it? It made sense, in a way. She wanted revenge-- how dare Lloyd make her look like such a fool?

* * *

"Ugh, look at him dancing with that concubine!" Raine shouted over the booming music with disgust clearly displayed on her face. Sheena and Raine were standing by a bar, looking around the huge, crowded room that they were in. Zelos had rented a room in Altamira's hottest club, and he had invited many people. The dancing was dirty, and Sheena was surprised that these young, normally proper courtesans knew such body movements. 

"Who? Lloyd?" Sheena asked, trying not to look jealous. After all, she'd been avoiding Lloyd ever since the night she'd eavesdropped on him. What made her even more upset was that Lloyd didn't even seem to have noticed! He was still distant, with the occasional remark sent in Sheena's direction here and there.

"Of course not. Lloyd's over there, chatting about battle tactics with the other swordsmen. I was talking about Zelos--" Raine pointed at the redhead, who was hopping around with a busty brunette. "It's so obvious that he's drunk! It's revolting." Raine sighed in defeat; both she and Sheena thought that drunk people were not impressive, and both refused to consume alcohol tonight. "If it weren't for his happiness, I'd have left this party an hour ago after we cut the cake. It's midnight now, and according to Zelos, that's much too early to leave a party. Speaking of which, here he comes..."

Zelos was stumbling along, unsupported by any of his guests. He walked over to Sheena in a crooked manner. Zelos then put his arm around her shoulder, snatched her drink right out of her hand, and peered inside. "I love you, love you, love you Sheenster." Zelos mumbled obnoxiously before raising the cup to his lips. He took a huge sip, and then his hazy eyes focused unsteadily on Sheena's body. "I llllove it when you wear green. It's so... not black."

Sheena looked down at her green dress. She had to agree with him, it was flattering. The dress was a vivid apple green in color and silky in texture, with silver studs adorning the deep V neckline. It was rouched and flattered Sheena's curves in the right way. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but Sheena thought she'd caught Lloyd staring. The sick part was that she didn't mind in the slightest... she was actually very pleased.

"Zelos, we need to get you back to the hotel before you throw up or something," Raine advised, stepping towards the man. "I left all my healing supplies in my room there."

Zelos shook his head wildly. "No! I'm okay," he insisted, beginning to stumble forward. Sheena caught him as he passed out. Had she not, then he would have landed solidly on his face and suffocated to death... or perhaps would have just broken his perfect nose. She tried her best not to laugh at the mental image of the pervert in her arms falling on his face. Raine looped Zelos' arm around her shoulders and Sheena did the same. Zelos' feet dragged on the ground as the two women attempted to carry him around.

"He's too heavy!" Raine exclaimed. Zelos stirred slightly, and Sheena got the feeling that he would throw up very soon. Raine laid Zelos down on the ground, and just like Sheena expected, Zelos vomited. "Sheena, go get Lloyd. He can help us take Zelos to the hotel."

Without even thinking, Sheena obeyed. Her eyes scanned the crowd and found him, looking grand in the black suit he'd rented. Sheena dashed over and put her hand lightly on his arm; when Lloyd looked down and saw who it was, he jumped, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Zelos needs help. Come on," Sheena said seriously. Lloyd immediately nodded in a sober manner, and followed her as she led the way. Sheena had glanced at Lloyd several times throughout the night, and he'd had a bit of alcohol as well, but not so much that his movements were affected. Raine had administered First Aid on Zelos, so he was now conscious but dizzy. A large ring of partygoers had formed around Raine and Zelos; Lloyd put his arm around Sheena's shoulders protectively as they pushed their way to the crowd's center. Sheena tried not to find pleasure in his touch but failed miserably, memorizing the heat of his body instead.

"I'll carry him to the hotel..." Lloyd stated when Zelos attempted to walk, but just ended up falling drunkenly on his butt, "...but you'll need to watch on him for the rest of the night, Raine." When the woman nodded solemnly, Lloyd put one arm around Zelos' shoulders and the other beneath his knees. Lloyd struggled for a bit under the weight, but after a moment of rare thought, his blue wings burst forth and he was lifted off the ground.

In no time, the four had reached Zelos' room, which was located on the fourth floor of the hotel. Lloyd laid the redhead on the gigantic bed, helped Raine settle some things around the room (Raine would be there the entire night, it seemed, and wanted to be comfortable while taking care of Zelos), and then offered to escort Sheena back to her room. She accepted in the coldest manner that she could manage, but it was hard to be cold to someone who had just carried a drunken friend to his hotel room. Lloyd's wings had disappeared when he first entered the hotel. For some reason, Lloyd was smiling as they left Raine and Zelos in the room. Sheena and Lloyd began to venture up the stairs, heading to the fifth floor.

"So..." Lloyd started to speak after a few moments of awkward, painful silence. "We haven't seen each other very much lately. You must have been very busy... Wedding plans and all. Right?"

"Yes," Sheena replied shortly as they went up the stairs. She found herself taking two steps at a time, desperate to get away from him. Their rooms were right next to each other, connected by a door; Sheena's side of the door had the lock, which was good in her case, because for some reason, opening the door symbolized letting him come back into her life and her heart.

"I forgot my key..." Lloyd mumbled when they reached his room and found the door locked. Sheena replied with silence as she pulled out her key and unlocked her door; with one quick gesture, she motioned for him to follow her inside. She'd let him into his room through that door that connected the two rooms. Lloyd nodded quietly and followed her into the room, locking the door behind him when Sheena requested that he do so.

"You must be very excited about your wedding." Lloyd stated, reaching over to the light switch and illuminating the room. It was medium-sized but pretty, with large windows that had a view of the ocean and sheer white curtains, a white bed with a silver canopy of delicate lace, a cream-colored wooden wardrobe, and cerulean walls. It was a room that emitted an aura of total peace.

"I guess. It's a life-changing event," Sheena trailed off as she removed her high heels and tossed them to a random corner of the room.

"I know. I guess it's too bad that I can't be there. I'm leaving for Iselia in three days--"

"_Why_?" Sheena's head jerked up suddenly, looking at the young man as he stood there almost helplessly. He was in the center of the room; Sheena was by the door that connected their rooms.

Lloyd's head tilted to the side a bit as he met her eyes, and he smiled forlornly. "Do you really think I could bear to see you two get married? No... It isn't fair that he gets to have you when I've wanted you for so much longer than he has."

A silence stretched between them for a few moments as Sheena attempted to process this information. It was the alcohol that made him say this. It had to be."But... but... I heard you and Zelos two nights ago... You said you loved Colette, you didn't want to tell me because you didn't want to break my heart--"

"No! No, never... I didn't want to tell you that I had feelings for you. I thought you didn't want me, I thought it would ruin our friendship..." Lloyd looked desperate now. When Sheena shook her head dumbly, the young man sighed. "Don't you see Sheena? I've liked you all this time. Ever since the day we fought at Ossa Trail, you've been on my mind." He took a step towards her, and another, until there was little more than an inch between their bodies. "I'll _always_ want you, Sheena. You'll always mean so much to me. That's why-- this is why I can't... I... I just..." His hand lifted and he hesitated; it was plain that he wished to touch her face. Sheena brought her own hand to his. In an almost amazed state, that hand laced fingers with hers; his other hand flew to her cheek and she felt a forbidden spark of desire.

"Wasn't it obvious that I wanted you too?" Sheena asked, her eyes searching his for an answer that didn't need to be said. Of course it hadn't been obvious-- Sheena was an amazing secret keeper. A moment passed...

"You're getting _married_, Sheena." Lloyd breathed. She felt his hand letting go of hers, but she just gripped it tighter, and a tear escaped her eye. If only they had done this before! "Don't cry, love, please..."

With that, the distance between them closed, and Lloyd's lips brushed against hers. At first it was just a bittersweet graze, but when he attempted to pull away, Sheena's hand went to the back of his head and brought him to her again. The kiss immediately deepened. It was a kiss of despair, and almost as soon as the kiss had become more intimate, they were swept up in it-- who was Derek, what was Mizuho? It didn't matter anymore; all that mattered was each _other_...

Sniffling and wiping the tears off her face, Sheena wrapped her arms around his neck as he backed her up against the wall behind her a little too quickly, so that she banged against it roughly. The back of her head stung now, as well as her butt, but she found that she couldn't care any less. Lloyd squeezed her hips very tightly, and it was obvious that not only was he eager but that he had wanted to kiss her for a very long time. They both were aware of their senses; they were not drunk at all, all they knew was each other at this moment, and no one else. Sheena couldn't let this feeling go now... Not so quickly. It wasn't long until he realized that she was wincing into his mouth from the crying, and it also wasn't long until Lloyd's tongue found hers, wanting to keep this kiss alive for as long as he possibly could. They both had no clue what they were doing, they were just following what their hearts and minds told them to do; Lloyd picked Sheena up lightly, and her legs wrapped around his waist. The fact that Sheena was wearing a dress didn't matter at all; in fact, the knowledge that her privates were a little above his just made things even better. A tiny moan escaped Lloyd's lips, and when he did, Sheena let her lips and tongue leave his so she could kiss a light trail down his neck, just for her lips to fly back to his seconds later. She was already addicted to his lips, it was this taste that she'd been dying to try for ages, and she couldn't stay away from his lips for long.

When she kissed his neck, Lloyd seemed to lose it, and carried Sheena over to the bed, although it seemed that he could have done it right then and there against the wall. As he was moving, he shifted the strap of her dress slightly so he could kiss her shoulder, and when he did he felt Sheena's nails dig into his back. Gasping for air, Sheena rolled over on the bed with Lloyd so that she was straddling his hips, her hands playing with his belt buckle as she leaned down to kiss his neck-- and then he spoke.

"I love you, Sheena." he whispered lightly, and she pulled away to meet his eyes. Oh, those three words! The beauty they contained could either be destructive or promising... and right now, they were both. Destructive because it would kill the relationship Sheena had with Derek; promising because it meant that Lloyd truly did feel that way. Lloyd was honest, and Sheena knew he would never lie about something like that just to get as far as he could with her.

"I love you more," Sheena murmured in reply, and her eyes filled with tears again. Oh Martel, why couldn't she have him? Why couldn't this be easier? Lloyd knew she was about to cry and kissed her gently again, his warm tongue meshing with hers. After a few moments Sheena's hand flew to his pant's zipper, and they both knew what they wanted.

* * *

As soon as Sheena's eyes opened the next morning, she realized what exactly she had done the night before. Lloyd was sitting on the edge of his side of the bed; it was obvious that he had just woken, because he was stretching. The sunlight flooded into the room, skimming along his smooth tan muscles as they flexed. Sheena shifted so that the bedcovers rustled, and Lloyd stopped stretching. He turned a bit so that he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, and Sheena got a profile view of his face. For a few moments Sheena simply watched him, watched the amazing beauty and grace that naturally came along with such a perfect specimen of man. The sun hit his face just right; his skin was bathed in golden light, the browned surfaces of his face practically glowing in such warmth, and his eyes had taken on an amazing hazel-amber color. He was simply breathtaking-- the way the sun seemed to kiss at his equally bronze chest muscles put Derek's angel-carved body to shame. 

"Morning, love," Lloyd greeted her. Sheena sat up, tightly gripping the bed sheets around her chest. She was too nervous to reply; in response to her silence, Lloyd fully turned around. Sheena's eyes fell on his chest, and she tried to bring her eyes back to his face. She'd seen all of Lloyd for the first time last night, but it still felt wrong. Sheena couldn't find the strength within herself to meet his eyes, because that would mean confronting the truth and the future.

"Come here," Lloyd said gently. He scooted even closer to Sheena and held his arms wide open for a hug. She hesitated for a moment, and then went into his arms, her naked self against his.

"We'll have to go soon, won't we? The others will wonder--"

"Who are they? There's nobody in the world right now except for us." he replied, talking in a dreamy sort of way.

Sheena's fingers trailed delicately down his spine. "Lloyd... what's going to happen now?"

"What do you mean?" Lloyd kissed the bare skin of her shoulder gently, and Sheena held back a shiver. It felt so wrong, and yet...

"We need to keep this a secret. If Derek ever found out--"

"Oh, why can't you just leave him for me? Everyone would be so happy then. Derek could become a simple memory..." Lloyd trailed off when Sheena pulled away from him.

"The world doesn't work out that way, Lloyd! I can't leave Derek! Grandpa and the rest of Mizuho are depending on me. As the next Chief, what sort of example would I set if I--" Sheena was getting heated and angry now, but Lloyd interrupted her.

"What about you? Don't you deserve to be happy? Derek doesn't make you happy!" Lloyd countered. He didn't take his disappointed amber eyes off of her, not even when she got off the bed and began to slip on her underwear.

"My happiness doesn't matter," She snapped, glaring at Lloyd. "Don't you get it? We won't be together, this meant nothing."

"No, Sheena." Lloyd spoke firmly. "Your happiness and our intimacy from last night means the _world_ to me. With me, you could be the happiest person in the world. It's love, darling, don't you see it? I'll stand by your side always; I promise you that I will."

"God, Lloyd, just give up! Just give up now before you cause me any more pain than I've already been through! Dammit Lloyd, I hate you!" Sheena broke down right there and sank to the ground, sobbing. This was all too much! She loved Lloyd, she really did, but... Oh, what a sin to commit...

"Sheena, please. Darling, listen to me." Through wet and blurry eyes, Sheena saw Lloyd's tan self crouch down beside her. He gathered her to his chest and held her as if she were a child that he couldn't help but love. "You need to leave Derek. He's not right for you and it breaks my heart to see you so torn. You deserve a passionate love; you need someone who will make you happy forever. You don't have to be with me if you don't want me, but I'll always love you. I'll love you no matter how much you hate me."

"I could never hate you, you fucking idiot!" Sheena managed to choke out passionately, quite aware that she was contradicting the statement she'd said not even more than a minute ago. She buried her face in his chest, struggling to calm down. His familiar scent mixed with the scent of the night before filled her nostrils and comforted her. This was _Lloyd_: the Lloyd she loved, the sweet boy she had met less than two years ago, the boy who had become a man much too quickly. "Just... I... I don't know. What if Grandpa hates me for this? And Derek, what will he do?"

Lloyd's fingers went under her chin and lifted her face up gently. He looked at her with soft eyes as he spoke. "I'll protect you; I'll stand by your side. You'll be mine, won't you?"

Sheena sniffled and gazed at him with uncertain eyes. "What do you mean, be yours? I don't want another public engagement, at least not yet."

"I mean be my lover, be my friend. Be mine and no one else's. We can keep it a secret if you want; only your grandfather needs to know." In those earnest dark eyes, some odd expression had become evident, and it looked like fear. Fear of what? Rejection? Sheena would never say no to him; quite the contrary actually...

"No." Sheena said firmly, tugging away from him to reach for her dress. Lloyd looked surprised, and he must have thought that Sheena meant she didn't want to be with him, so she spoke again quickly. "I mean, no, I don't want it to be a secret. I want to the world to know... and if they have a problem with it, then too bad. Something within me tells me that Martel wanted this. Maybe she even _planned_ this out." Sheena leaned over and kissed those soft lips firmly, before getting to her feet. "I've hidden my love for you for such a long time, darling. And I don't want to do that anymore."

Lloyd got to his feet as well, putting his arms gently around Sheena from behind. He rested his head in the crook of her neck, where his lips landed on her tender skin. "No, don't dress yet. Zelos won't be up for hours; let it just be you and I again."

Sheena looked back up at him and whirled around. She put her hands on his cheeks and gave him a genuine smile. "I love you so much, Lloyd."

"I love you more Sheena." He grinned back at her, and a kiss was exchanged. "Imagine us like this for the rest of our lives, dear. We'll finally be happy!"

_'Oh, yes we will.'_ Sheena thought silently as they kissed again. _'Yes, we will.'_

* * *

**_AN: _One more chapter... :-) Trust me, you won't want to miss it.**


	3. Lover Without Love

**Disclaimer: I don't own ToS. **

**AN: I'm sorry, really, that this chapter has taken so long. Last summer I went to Palestine, and then my sophomore year started, which was extremely tough. Paired with my RPing site, I just haven't had inspiration. I haven't had time to write this either. However, I hope to work as much as I can on this during these summer months, and have decided to attempt to extend this into a four chapter story. **

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* * *

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_"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."_ _--Galileo Galilei_

A butter-yellow dress flickered in the breeze; the cloth of it was so unique that its color bounced about the room, bathing everything in a bright glow. A bubbly, tiny child wore this dress; the dress seemed to match the girl's personality down to the last stitch. She was around the age of four, with rich chestnut hair and dark eyes that matched her mother's. The girl was zooming around the room, followed by a woman that appeared to be around twenty-four years of age.

"I've got you!" the young woman bellowed suddenly, her arms clasping about the small girl as her voice bounced around the room. The little girl squealed with delight, and she was lifted up into the air to receive a fat kiss on the cheek.

"Sheena, Adeline, I'm back home!" A door opened and slammed shut, mixing with that deep voice that had spoken. The sound of rushed footsteps was heard—someone was in a rush to see the mother and daughter—and then a man appeared within the doorway of the room. A hesitant smile crossed his lips as he gazed at his family, and then the man stepped in. In a series of swift movements, he picked up Sheena and her child and hugged them tightly. Adeline let out a delighted squeal, and Sheena managed to smile gently.

"Let us go, dear, you're going to crack my ribs-- you know that's not good for a child," Sheena said softly, her eyes meeting his dark ones. The man's eyes dropped down to gaze hopefully at the flat toned expanse of muscle that was Sheena's stomach, before obediently letting her go. Sheena handed Adeline to her husband and noticed an expectant look in his eyes, so Sheena quickly leaned up and kissed him. The look vanished.

"D-D-Daddy, how was your visit to the King's palace? Did you see his Majesty? And Zelos, did you see Uncle Zelos? Did he have a gift for me?" A torrent of questions flowed out from Adeline's mouth, her eyes gazing admiringly at the man holding her. "It's raining today; did you see the rain outside Daddy? Mama said I could stay up until you came home…" Adeline had a tendency to babble on with questions, like most young children did; the sweet thing was that her father truly listened to every word. His dark eyes held hers intently, and it was Sheena who had to interrupt.

"—which means that you have to go the bed now, Addy!" Sheena exclaimed, much to the little child's disappointment. "Come along, your father must be exhausted. I'll tuck you in and tell you a fairy tale, how does that sound?"

"No darling, I'll tuck her in. You're the one who had to handle her all day—it's the least I could do." The man shifted a bit so that he could kiss Adeline's cheek lightly. It was obvious that he thought that Adeline was an absolute gem.

Sheena looked at her husband with an expressionless face but appreciative eyes. "Thank you, Derek."

* * *

Many years ago on a day much like this one, Sheena and Lloyd had come back to Mizuho from Altamira. Sheena was engaged to Derek still, but the events that had occurred during Zelos' birthday vacation made her realize that Lloyd was the only man she could ever truly love. Her heart was optimistic—surely her grandfather would want her to be happy! The day had started off with sunny skies, but the clouds were slowly darkening…

It was nine in the morning and Chief Igaguri was awake. He looked pleased when Sheena and Lloyd step into his home; however, when he took note of their entwined hands, his face darkened with curiosity. There was a short silence; it was obvious that Sheena's grandfather was waiting for an explanation.

Those suspenseful brown eyes did it. Before Sheena knew it, she was babbling endlessly about the course of the night before. She didn't tell very many details, but to Igaguri it was obvious that romantic things had occurred the night before. He didn't say anything, but now there was a disappointed expression in his eyes.

"… I don't want to marry Derek anymore, Grandpa. I want to be with Lloyd. I want to be happy." With that, Sheena's mouth finally snapped shut. This felt like Judgment Day, this felt as if she were being examined for the things she had done. Lloyd was squeezing Sheena's hand nervously and tightly. Her palms were beginning to sweat and shake…

"But what about Mizuho?" Her grandfather replied with a simple question that could contain so many meanings. "What about Mizuho's happiness and future?"

"A happy ruler means a happy village, Chief. I helped save the world, sir; doesn't that prove to you that I am a responsible man?" Lloyd replied, meeting the older man's eyes firmly. Sheena's heart swelled with pride as she looked on.

"You do not understand. Neither of you do." Igaguri got to his feet with a groan and transitioned to a spot by the window. Our family and Derek's have been feuding for decades. His uncle was the one who killed my wife… your marriage will prevent any more murders." His eyes glanced over at the two before going back to the landscape outside. "There is more behind it, much more than you two have realized..."

Sheena stared at her grandfather as the silence in the room stretched. This information was new to her—the Chief had never explained the sudden disappearance of his wife. She barely remembered her grandmother, for the woman had been taken from them when Sheena was only five years of age.

"But… but I love Lloyd. And… he loves me." Sheena murmured helplessly as she stared at the man before them. He had raised her as if she were his own child ever since the moment he found her in the forest nearby. Surely the Chief would prefer her happiness over anything else! Surely he didn't want her to be miserable!

A long silence stretched before Igaguri spoke. "Go… just go. Let me think." Lloyd and Sheena silently obeyed; Sheena found herself praying in her heart to Martel for the rest of the day. The day passed quite quickly, for Sheena and Lloyd kept their distance from each other. They had to be separated as they waited breathlessly for Igaguri's decision. The possibility of being separated from each other was just too hard to bear.

That night, Sheena was making her way home from dinner at Riley's home when she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder. The night was unusually cool, but bright since there happened to be a full moon in the sky. Sheena would have killed anyone that snuck up on her like that, but these hands she knew. Sheena didn't even have to glance beside her to know that it was Lloyd walking along. Sheena stopped right there in the empty street and just looked up at her lover with hopeful eyes. They had passed the Chief's home mere moments before; Sheena glanced back and was relieved to see that no lights were on in the home.

"Have you heard anything from your Grandfather? Does Derek know?" Lloyd looked so sweet and concerned that Sheena could practically feel her heart melting. She had never known a man as sweet as he was before, and it broke her heart to think of a life without Lloyd in it.

"I've only seen the both of them a few times today. Grandpa won't say a word to me, but Derek seems pretty clueless." Sheena had to touch him, so she reached out and lightly touched his right hand. An inevitable spark of longing flowed between them, and in a moment's time Sheena was being held by Lloyd. His chin rested on the top of her head and her arms were around his middle; the silence that followed was a long and sad one. In a moment's time, Sheena leaned up and kissed Lloyd's lips, quickly and softly. In return, Lloyd gave her a longer kiss that was just as gentle and caring. Sheena closed the distance between their bodies so that everything touched, but not in a vulgar manner.

"Stay with me tonight?" she asked in a breathless voice when he pulled away. To Sheena, no feeling could compare to the feeling she had in Lloyd's arms, especially when they were in the middle of a romantic act. Lloyd's hand slowly slipped down her side. He was looking thoughtfully down at her, and for a moment the woman feared rejection, but then he nodded. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Sheena's once more, much harder this time. Sheena could feel a slight drizzle, it had just started to rain…

From the shadows nearby, a golden man watched with mirthless eyes as his fiancée betrayed him once more.

The next day he was gone; no note, no message, nothing of Lloyd's was left behind. Over the next few weeks, rumors spread-- one night guard claimed that Lloyd drowned in the nearby lake, another claimed to have seen Igaguri banish him, and the village women gossiped that he had gone to Iselia to get married. Some noticed that Sheena hid herself for three days, refusing to see anyone except for Chief Igaguri, who only was permitted in because he demanded a conference.

Two months passed and wedding plans were delayed because of terrible weather, but eventually an emotionless bride was given to Derek, who faithfully took her in. He moved into her home and claimed to love her dearly. A baby girl was born to the pair seven months later, and they named her Adeline after Derek's dead mother.

* * *

Sheena padded down the long hallway after escorting Derek and Adeline to Adeline's room. Her room was at the opposite end of the hallway from Sheena and Derek's room. Sheena moved slowly down the hallway, arms carefully wrapped around her smooth stomach. Another child lost only three weeks before... Sheena was a strong woman due to her previous lifestyle; she carried the burden without complaint. She still helped train the young warriors of the village as well, at least until her fifth month. Then she had to sit still and attempt at being lazy. For a person like Sheena, this was extremely hard. Well, that was what it had been like with her first pregnancy, anyways. The two pregnancies that had followed had not been so lucky; Sheena's eyes filled with tears whenever she thought about the two babies that she had lost.

'This night feels so familiar...' Sheena hesitated by the window of her room and stared at the drizzling rain outside. This weather reminded her of the last the she had seen Lloyd. He had a home by Lake Umacy now, according to Colette; he never stayed there long, but visited the surrounding cities like Luin and Asgard often. The man busied himself with peace talks around the world and other such affairs; his journey around the world to collect Exspheres had ended some time ago. Derek claimed to have seen Lloyd several times in the king's palace during the past few years. Derek told Sheena that Lloyd hadn't changed a bit, but Colette said that Lloyd was more melancholy now. A little more drawn, a little quieter; the bubby and idealistic boy that Sheena had loved was barely present in Lloyd Irving.

The first few months of Sheena's marriage were quiet ones; at first Derek had tried to get Sheena to open up-- why was she so quiet, so haunted?-- but eventually, he had learned that it was best if she were left alone. He understood that she was hurting over something, but over what, he seemed to have no idea. At first her thoughts were purely of Lloyd-- every day she thought maybe, just maybe, he'd show up at her door with a logical explanation and a thousand 'I love you's emitting from his lips. Every scent reminded her of him, in bed she fantasized that it was Lloyd touching her and not Derek, and every pair of brown eyes brought her back to the days before her marriage. Eventually hours passed without thinking of Lloyd; then days; then weeks. Sheena realized that she had been used, that Lloyd was not returning, and she focused on her family, on pleasing Derek, on raising her little baby.

It was at one of Mizuho's festivals when Sheena realized that she could summon no longer; a great burst of fire from Efreet was supposed to burst forth, and although Sheena tried, and tried, and tried-- she could not summon. She had not broken her pact, although that was what many people foolishly believed; she simply did not have the heart to Summon anymore.

Sheena shook herself out of her thoughts, and headed towards the wardrobe that had been given as a wedding present to Sheena and Derek-- a grand old thing that was honestly just Sheena's. Derek had another wardrobe to himself at the other end of the large room. Sheena began to unhook the delicate earrings that hung at her earlobes, her eyes scanning the hanging items of clothing, wondering which one she'd wear that night. Out of nowhere, it seemed, Sheena felt a twinge of pain in her lower abdomen, and a gasp escaped from her lips. The earrings fell out of her hands, and she stood there in simple amazement-- could she be pregnant? Oh Martel, please, please let it be true-- before getting down on her knees. Sheena's hands scrabbled around the inner floor of the wooden wardrobe, when all of a sudden-- there, right by the edge, her fingertips pressed into tiny indentations. Frowning, Sheena shifted her fingers to the left, and the wood shifted with her fingers, revealing a secret compartment.

Tilting her head to the side, full of curiosity now, Sheena squinted in the darkness of the room. There was something in there, but what? Delicately her fingers wrapped around a small box-shaped thing, and she lifted it up-- it was somewhat dusty, so Sheena blew on it. She pressed her finger against a one-touch lamp and sank onto the bed, glad for once that Adeline took such a long time to fall asleep-- even though the door was locked, she still was afraid of Derek coming in. She had a feeling that this was something meant for Sheena only. It was a pretty box, slightly dusty, but still precious. Made of a light brown, almost white sort of wood, it was very smooth and very expert in texture. Intricate curves decorated the sides, very symmetrical and elegant in design. Tentatively, Sheena pried open the box with her fingers, and in an instant music filled the room. The music was very light and very soft-- so familiar in Sheena's memory that she could swear that she had in memorized by heart. But where had she heard this song before? This music box contained a simple letter in one of the compartments, and with shaky hands, Sheena lifted it and read it with curious eyes.

_Sheena,_

_I don't know if you'll ever find this-- I hope you do-- but you know me. I can't stay silent. And I promised to keep my mouth shut and I promised not to tell you about the many facts that are contained in this music box. Do you like it? You better. Anyways, I'm keeping to my promise by writing this down, and I'm not sure if you'll ever see this, so it's not like I know I'm telling you. All I can wish for is that fate will guide you to this music box. There is a button on the underside of this music box-- press it and things will become clear._  
_--Zelos._

Her pulse erratic, Sheena numbly pressed the button on the bottom of the music box, her eyes wide. Instantly some sort of projection popped up, and Sheena gasped-- a profile view of Lloyd's face hovered in front of her. How had Zelos done this? Her thoughts went berserk when she heard Lloyd's voice, the voice she hadn't heard in ages, and she tried to calm down and heed his words.

"I love Sheena, Zelos, I really do." he said carefully, bringing a hand up to smooth his worried forehead. "This is love in its truest form, I know it is... but I can't be with her. I can't make her mine." Lloyd's voice was full of regret, full of anger and sadness and wistfulness. There was a dead man's expression on his face; judging by the background that surrounded Lloyd, Sheena figured that he was in a Mizuho home.

"Why not?" Zelos asked slowly, his voice booming but his face never showing. "She wants to be yours, Lloyd... you are a lucky man."

"No, I'm not a lucky man at all. Her grandfather will disown her if she tries to leave Derek for me." A frustrated sigh came out of Lloyd's smooth lips; the projection was in black and white, so Sheena couldn't help but wonder, were his eyes red and swollen like hers had been after he left her? "I'm not fit for a family anyways-- Genis and I are going to go around the world looking for Exspheres, remember? Who knows how long that journey will take? Months, years... I can't marry Sheena and leave her here, but I wouldn't want to bring her with me anyways-- it's too dangerous, and if she ever got pregnant..." Lloyd's voice died off, a choked expression on his face. "From what information I could get, Derek is from a long line of powerful and noble wizards. Although he seems harmless, who knows what he could do? Rumor is he's very well connected-- he could have the entire kingdom hate the village eventually. I can't do that to her. I can't ruin Sheena and her people... I would sacrifice myself for her. And maybe, maybe with time, she'll learn to love Derek, and she'll forget me. Sheena's my everything, and I have to give that up..." Lloyd's eyes, so sad in expression, broke Sheena's heart and caused a hard lump to form in her throat. She reached out to touch him-- could one touch the visions brought by this projector? -- But before she could discover it for herself, the image flickered and died, leaving Sheena alone and the room very silent indeed.

_'I could never forget him,'_ Sheena thought silently, furiously, angrily, her jaw tightening and her eyes widening with disbelief. She wasn't sure what to do; she wasn't sure if she should cry, if she should yell, or if she should simply stay still and not do anything. Lloyd had been selfless, very selfless indeed-- and yet, all this time, she had thought of him as an awful and insincere man who had stolen her heart and virginity just to throw her aside in the end. He had loved her, he had loved her, oh Martel, please say he still did...

She had to go see him; she had to, but how? Hearing Derek's footsteps in the hallway, Sheena shoved the music box under her pillow and got to her feet, removing her shirt in order to change into her nightclothes. _'Lloyd, Lloyd, Lloyd, oh Lloyd, please hold on for me, please...'_ What was the point of this sudden sense of urgency? Sheena knew there was no point, but she had to see him, she had to, she couldn't make him wait any longer.

Derek stepped into the room, his eyebrows shooting up a little at seeing his wife in the middle of undressing with such a fierce look on her face. "My, my, you look very set on doing something tonight. I wonder what or who it could possibly be?" Sheena did her best to smile at him, glancing at him for a moment. Derek was a good man, he had never shown her a moment of harm, but Lloyd-- oh, Lloyd-- surely Derek would understand? Shrugging out of the leggings she wore for the day, Sheena slipped into one of the nightgowns that made her feel pretty-- she wouldn't have time to dress, no, and she had to look beautiful, didn't she? This dress was almost too fine to sleep in, with its silky texture and smooth silver threads, with the nice beading at the bust and the loose fit, but maybe Derek would think she was tempting him, maybe he wouldn't notice. The ends of the dress brushed smoothly against the tops of her knees as she joined a shirtless Derek in the bed, her mind calculating-- how would she get there? What would she say?

"Well now, you look gorgeous," Derek observed, rolling onto his stomach underneath the blankets, leaning over to graze his lips on Sheena's face-- it had the emotionless expression he was used to, but there was a fire burning in her eyes that was very unfamiliar. Sheena smiled a little at him, pressing her hand on his tanned forearm, and shook her head softly, a quick and easy lie set in her head. "It's that time of month, Derek. We can't try for that baby tonight." He'd wanted a son, he wanted it so badly, but Sheena couldn't, not now; she had to go see Lloyd! She had to! Looking disappointed, Derek rolled over onto his back; Sheena feigned closing her eyes, watching him through her eyelids.

It seemed to stretch on forever, waiting for his snores, but when they came, Sheena moved carefully. She pulled the music box, tucking it in her bag, along with the tiny box that magically held her Rheaird, which she hadn't used for ages. A last look at Derek, her heart racing, and she slipped out the door; a kiss on Adeline's forehead and she was gone, ready to find the one man that she never could have forgotten.

From the shadows nearby, a golden man watched through the window with mirthless eyes as his wife betrayed him for the last time.

* * *

**Author's Note: Not as dramatic as I wanted to be, but it's preparing for the next chapter, which will be very dramatic. I'll try to do it often and get it up as soon as I can. **


	4. Close Up

"_If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger." – Wuthering Heights_

As Sheena is flying, she thinks briefly of the dreams she still has of him.

In her dreams there are flashes of his golden skin stretching toward the sun, gossamer curtains, three words that change everything, determination flashing in wide brown eyes, the idealism within his mind…

And now it will all become reality. The wind plays with her loose hair and the light rain stings her face as she flies in the silent night to Lake Umacy, knowing that it can't be too difficult to find the new home that Lloyd constructed. And it isn't – it's right there, a simple home by the smooth, dark glass surface of the lake.

No thoughts, no hesitation. She goes to his door and she pounds on it, and then she realizes that it's midnight and maybe he's asleep.

The door opens and brown eyes are looking at her – brown eyes looking years older than she remembers them – with the utmost surprise and curiosity. He's silent as he towers above her and she can't breathe.

"Lloyd," she whispers, and he doesn't move. He doesn't even invite her inside. "Lloyd, I know. I finally know what happened. And I'm here to tell you that none of it matters. I'm here to tell you that I still need you." _Please tell me you need me too. _"I know that you want to protect me, but—"

His hand reaches out to touch her face delicately, and she forgets how to speak. She sees layers of pain in his eyes, layers that have built over time, and she wants to erase them. She wants him to go back to the boy he was long ago, the one who wasn't damaged because of her.

His silence kills her. It stretches as he caresses her cheek, tucks her hair behind her ear, but makes no motion toward her.

"Say something," she whispers. "Say anything."

"But what is there to say?" She recognizes that voice – and it's not Lloyd's. It comes from behind her.

Sheena turns around to see someone walking toward them from the shadows; in a moment's notice Lloyd presses a button from within his home and lanterns decorate the sky for a great distance all around the home, and Sheena sees none other than Derek in front of them. There is a figure floating behind him in the air, unconscious, head drooping…

_Chief Igaguri._

"Derek? What's going on?" Sheena asks, confused, taking a step toward him.

"I'd ask you the same, but let's skip the formalities, shall we? Enough is enough. Tonight it ends." Derek's voice is so dark and so menacing that Sheena doubts for a moment that this is really her husband. She hears Lloyd's voice behind her and something rectangular pressed in her hand-

"Don't be stupid, Sheena, on your guard," he whispers, and her mind awakens. The part of her mind that was constantly in use during her travels of the world kicks into gear – rusty – and there's old adrenaline kicking in her system.

"Why is grandfather floating like this?" Sheena asks her husband, and she notices that he is carrying a long, dark rod that she has never seen before. Its end is sharp and should sink into the ground, but it doesn't. It hovers perfectly an inch above the grass. Sheena begins to walk toward him, but when she is ten feet away, she doubles over in pain – everything hurts – her skin is stinging- she stumbles back and the sensation leaves, other than the fact that her ears are still ringing from the pain. "Derek, Derek…"

_Rivalry with the family. _

_His family is a long line of powerful wizards._

But he is her husband.

The light in his eyes is one she's never seen before, and his golden aura is amplified. The look on his face is so sinister that she can't recognize him. She recognizes the vengeance on his face from enemies past.

He tilts his head and smiles at her cruelly. "And you thought I didn't know." He chuckles mirthlessly, and there is a flash of dark light beside him; Adeline's body appears, hanging in the air like Igaguri's, unconscious, and Sheena's body shakes with fear.

"Why are you doing this?" Lloyd's voice, finally. "We spoke before I left Mizuho, remember? In exchange for me leaving Sheena's life completely, you would keep her safe. The family rivalry would end. Although she is here, I did not call her to me." Lloyd is beside her, and she sees his swords gleaming in his hands.

Derek smirks. "Do you think that matters to me? Even when I made that promise to you, I did not mean it. I have been _waiting_ for this moment. Waiting to get rid of the act." With an almost bored attitude, he twists his fingers and out of nowhere, Igaguri screams in pain, doubled over in the air, clutching at his stomach.

"Stop! Please!" Sheena yells, anger surging within her body. "Why do you have to hurt them? Hurt me instead!"

"Oh, I will. Don't worry. Tonight I will rid the world of you all, and my family will rightly repossess leadership of Mizuho. Igaguri never told you that, now did he? The reason for the rivalry stems to long ago, when our leadership was stolen from us – given to the eldest brother rather than the one who truly deserved it, my ancestor. Why should you be the chief, Sheena, when you are not even a descendent of that ancient lineage? No, no. All of you will die tonight, and I will return to Mizuho with your bodies – a terrible accident, I'll say – and I will restore what is rightfully mine by becoming the chief. For a moment, I will admit, I did believe in trying to rule through you and allowing you to live. But allowing you to assume the role as chief and simply be a bystander was just too unappealing." He shakes his head. "Your infidelity is simply, how do they say it… icing on the cake."

Her body tenses as she listens to this. "But you can't, at the very least, kill your own daughter." Lloyd's body is flexing beside her, and hers does too as she reads his body – attack soon.

"But this isn't my daughter. And we all know it-" Without another word, the battle begins. Sheena and Lloyd rush into Derek's barrier, fighting against the blistering pain. Lloyd rushes for Derek but Sheena can't bring herself to do it, she still can't imagine destroying the man that is – was?- her husband, and she heads to Igaguri first. If she gets him out of the barrier, she can maybe bring him to consciousness. She runs to her grandfather's floating body as Lloyd engages Derek in battle, and it's a flurry of swords and Derek's rod and the elements that he musters to fight. Sheena pushes her grandfather's body to the edge of the barrier – struggles – a final push- and the old man collapses into a heap at the perimeter. He is barely breathing, but he is alive – he looks asleep- Sheena drags his body underneath a tree and heads to Adeline to do the same process. It is easier. Sheena holds her in her arms once outside the field of pain and places her beside Igaguri, before turning and looking at the cards that Lloyd gave her. It's time. She rushes into the fray.

It's been a long time since she has battled, and it is evident. The cards are barely doing damage – Lloyd is the one taking care of things as well as the majority of the blows. Sheena curses at herself, wishing that she had not lost her heart to summon.

It all happens so fast. Derek turns away from Lloyd and looks at her with a gleam in his eyes, and she knows what he's thinking. Before she knows it she is running and catching the flames that he has sent in the direction of her family with her family, and she screams – but nothing is louder than Lloyd's scream. She forces her eyes open to see his body shoot in the air and slide on the ground, throwing earth everywhere, before he hits the tree nearby. He slumps to the ground and doesn't move.

"Lloyd? Lloyd!" Sheena shouts, and she sees Derek walking slowly over to them, his laughs filling her ears. He stops several feet away from her.

"Let's see. Who first?" He points his rod at each of them, and finally it settles on Adeline. "Let's start with the least important. I want you to watch me kill her."

There is light slowly gathering within Sheena's soul as she watches him walk to her daughter, and he raises the rod in the air, the sharp end hovering above the child's skull. Something is building, building, building within her for the first time in ages, and she holds her breath because she doesn't want to lose this forgotten energy although she wants to scream.

She knows this feeling. Her soul builds and builds and fills with light, with mana, with energy, with a pact. She breathes in, overlimit, calm, control –

She sees Lloyd run out of nowhere, his body covers Adeline's and the sharp end begins to descend, and Sheena can feel the pressure within her exploding when she realizes that everything she needs is right here, Lloyd is here, and she cannot lose him – she explodes -

_Volt._

The lightning surrounds her. It surrounds them. It blinds them, and there is nothing.

There is nothing.

* * *

When Sheena wakes up, it takes her a few moments to understand where she is. She's in a makeshift hospital of some sort; there are murmuring voices nearby; it smells like Mizuho; Raine's staff is near her.

Her heart quickens when she remembers everything. Her heart aches, she sits up, her head spins and she yells out Adeline's name before vomiting. There are footsteps, and Raine steps in followed by some visitors.

"Calm down and I'll explain everything," Raine says immediately, and Sheena's never been so glad to see her face in her life. "Adeline is fine. No damage whatsoever, she's been running around like nothing's happened. Lloyd was out for two days; Derek's staff had begun its decent into his body before Volt was summoned, some inches deep, so he will have a scar, but other than that I managed to heal him. When Lloyd awoke, he told us everything. The commotion and strange flashes of thunder were noticed by Colette, who was in Luin that night, so she was able to get to you all within an hour after it was all over. You have been out for five days, we were so worried… When you summoned Volt, because it had been a while, the lightning was uncontrolled. Volt knew not to attack Lloyd – he recognized his mana – but the release from within you was really hard on your body. All that pent-up energy, you were out cold."

Something flickered in Raine's face. "Derek is dead. Word will most likely reach his family soon, if it has not already."

Sheena closed her eyes, torn between letting out a relieved sigh that Lloyd and her child were okay, and wanting to cry for the sake of what had been a lie of a marriage. And then she realized something – Raine had not mentioned Igaguri.

"Grandpa?"

Raine's eyes were conflicted. "Derek did internal damage to him when he tortured him in the air. He is struggling. We don't know yet."

"I need to see him – I need to see him now –"Sheena struggled to get up; her head spun again, and she grabbed a cup of water near her and gulped it down to prevent herself from throwing up again. There was a murmur among the three villagers behind Raine, and they broke apart to let someone in: Lloyd.

"Could you leave us for a few?" He requested of the others, and they obliged, including Raine. Lloyd sat beside Sheena on the bed and looked at her worriedly.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he managed to say before taking her in his arms gently, and he hugged her for several long moments. She basked in his embrace. He pulled away and touched her cheek, and without hesitation, he continued to speak.

"I never gave you my response at the Lake – I'm sorry." He breathed, looking at her sincerely. "I'm glad you found your way back to me, Sheena. I'm so glad… I never wanted to let you go. And I never will let you go again. I promise you. I will never leave you again."

And with that, he kissed her, and all the dreams of the past few years circled around her head and vanished into his mouth. He had found her again. She was home. His touch could only be described as beautiful, this kiss was sweet and caring and true, and she felt love surge in her chest. She didn't know how long he kissed her for, and she didn't care. She didn't want him to stop, and she held his forearms so tightly she mildly wondered if she would hurt him. Eventually he pulled away and Sheena smiled at him, lacing her hands with his.

Adeline came toddling in, yelling, "Mama! Finally!" She scrambled onto Lloyd's lap and placed her hands on top of their entwined ones. "N-Not fair! Mama, Lloyd is _my _friend! He played with me all day when you were asleep, and he gave me candy and food and told me stories every night!"

"That's wonderful, Addy," Sheena responded, caressing her daughter's cheek. She watched with amazement as Lloyd pressed his lips to the top of Adeline's brown hair, and she admired for a moment at how identical the shade of her hair was to his. The way he looked at Adeline… all of Sheena's worries disappeared as she realized that her daughter's father accepted and loved her. And for a moment, Sheena felt complete; she felt that this was truer than any moment she had ever known.

_Epilogue_

The summer breeze rustles the leaves of the trees behind Sheena's head as she looks over Mizuho, at the villagers who are knelt before her, heads bowed.

In the audience of her inauguration as chief she sees her friends in the crowd; she sees her daughter looking at her with big dark eyes, the only one without a bowed head, confused, wondering why she couldn't be with her mother onstage; she sees Lloyd in the front row, his head bowed the deepest - no wait - he looks up for a split second and winks at her encouragingly.

She thinks of her grandfather's words before he passed away a few weeks ago, and she feels his presence with her now.

"_Sheena, if only there were a way I could turn back time. I would take back all the pain I caused you – I would take back everything. You are my granddaughter, and I will always be proud of you. I give you and Lloyd my blessing. I give your happiness my blessing. I only wish I had time to be as good to you as you were to me."_

"Thank you so much, Mizuho," Sheena calls out, her voice strong. "I pledge to take care of you as your Chief. I pledge to take care of you and honor you. We will face challenges, but we will face them as a community. I will not let you down."

And later on, as night falls, Sheena realizes how complete she is in Lloyd's arms as they chattered with their old friends late into the night in the brightly lit backyard of their home, Adeline sleeping in the chair beside Lloyd's since she refuses to ever leave his side. And when they retire later and Sheena falls in his arms for the night, and he kisses her for hours on end to make up for lost time, she knows she could stay there forever.

Sheena finally, for the first time in her life, is complete.

* * *

**Author's Note: Better late than never? Forgive me.**


End file.
